Find how long to boil a large egg, timed from the moment the water reaches a rolling boil, for your preferred doneness.
How it works
Boiling time depends on doneness: about 6 minutes for soft-boiled (runny yolk), 8 minutes for medium (jammy yolk), or 12 minutes for hard-boiled (fully set) — a widely used cooking-guide convention for a large egg starting at room temperature.
What this does not include
These are general guideline times, not an exact science — actual timing varies somewhat with egg size, starting temperature (straight from the fridge vs. room temperature), and altitude.
How to use this calculator
- Select the doneness you want: soft, medium, or hard.
- Read off the boiling time.
A worked example
For a soft-boiled egg: boil for 6 minutes — a runny yolk with a set white.
For a hard-boiled egg: boil for 12 minutes — a fully set yolk throughout.
What the variables mean
| Variable | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Doneness | Desired result — soft, medium, or hard |
Edge cases worth knowing
These times assume starting from boiling water with a room-temperature egg — starting from cold water, or using an egg straight from the fridge, shifts the actual cooking time needed for the same result.
Egg size also affects timing — these figures are calibrated to a standard large egg; jumbo or extra-large eggs need a little more time to reach the same doneness.
Should the egg go into boiling water or cold water?
Both methods work; this calculator’s times assume the egg is added once the water is already at a rolling boil, which gives more predictable, repeatable timing.
Why does egg size matter for boiling time?
A larger egg has more mass to heat through to the center, so extra-large or jumbo eggs typically need a little more time than the large-egg times given here.
Does an ice bath after boiling matter?
Plunging a boiled egg into ice water stops residual cooking from carryover heat and makes peeling easier — it doesn’t change the boiling time itself, but it does affect final doneness if the egg would otherwise keep cooking.
